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Everything you need to know about mountain biking in Ainsa. What are the best trails to ride in Zona Zero? Where to eat, sleep & more… Read below
Since I moved here over a year ago I have been riding outside of the Pyrenees only ones. And until recently I didn’t go and ride into other valleys. I am sure that is because I never get bored of the trails in and around Zona Zero. There is so much to ride here, so much to explore and there is such a diversity in terrain. Aragon just keeps on throwing epic trails at you.
A while ago I shared the 3 best trails for beginners , now it is time for some more hardcore Enduro trails. Therefore I present you with what I think are the 5 best Enduro trails you can ride straight out of the front door of your hotel, tent, caravan or camper in the Ainsa and Boltaña area.
It has been a little over 6 months since I showed my first clients around Zona Zero. And really like guiding mountain bike enthusiasts around in this magical area. As as a designer, the other part of my brain, I am accustomed to reflect on the things I make and improve them when needed. So it was time for an iteration of the guiding business so far.
Spring and Autumn are the best and most beautiful seasons for mountain biking in Zona Zero. With temperatures around 20 degrees or a little hire it is a bliss on the trails here. The colours of the fresh green leafs and the blooming flowers in spring are stunning. And you just can’t beat the autumn colors of nature in Sobrarbe.
Since we moved to Ainsa we met a some amazing people. Three weeks ago I said goodbye to Andrew and Alix also know as McTrailrider and miss McTrailrider. They are traveling through Europe in their motorhome. Earlier this year they started to make their living from vlogging. They review all the mountain bike trails they ride during their travels. It was great riding with Andrew, specially because we share similar ideas and values about riding our mountain bike. This blog is about the relevance of the #vanlife mountain bike vlogger.
It is always amazing to feel when things click. Andrew and I really connected on our first ride together. So on his last day in Ainsa we went on another bike ride. We explored the El Confesionario trail also know as the ride to the pussy of the world/ El coco del mundo. This trail was new for the both of us.
Of course Andrew filmed it all and he threw in some amazing drone footage of Morcat and the Confesionario as well. Enjoy watching!
Andrew also known as the McTrail Rider was in Ainsa, Zona Zero last month. Together with his girlfriend Alix, he travels through Europe to ride as many cool trails as possible and share his experience on his McTrail Rider YouTube channel.
A few weeks ago I contacted him via Instagram and we went out for a ride together. I showed him the la Caparra trail - ZZ-011 (Trailforks) and he showed me how to do proper switchbacks on my hardtail mountain bike.
Which trails can you ride in Zona Zero when you are new to Enduro mountain biking? Zona Zero has a map with ZZ Light trails. The map contains 6 trails varying from family trails over dirt roads to pretty difficult. You can find some of the easier trails on the normal big Zona Zero map with 20 Enduro trails. They probably made the big map before the Light version.
I personally selected 3 trails for you when you just started with Enduro mountain biking. They are fun, challenging enough and they have great views. As I mentioned before you’ll find easier trails, but these 3 trails give you a good start of your Enduro career.
Imagine arriving to a place were there are more than 1.000 kms of amazing mountain bike trails. All the trails have something to please all the biking tastes, rocky, fast, flowy, technical, forest…you name it we have it here. The views, the trails, the experience will have you wanting for more! If you want to have the best mountain biking experience in this paradise, getting the maximum out of a day… riding with a guide is a smart and fun decision.
A mountain bike guide can show you the best trails suited for your needs, your ride will be enchanted by the history of the trails and you will learn more about the local customs. As a bonus, you will see the best views and get all the tips about food and drinks!
Autumn is slowly taking over the landscape here foothills of the Pyrenees with its beautiful bright colours. With autumn an annual tradition returns to the area, Hunting Season. The battue or batida in Spanish, is a way of hunting where beaters drive the game towards the hunters who are waiting with there shot gun. The hunters are after wild boar and corso, a small dear. These batidas are both tradition and a necessity as there are way to many boars and dear due to a lack of predators aka wolves.
Read the 6 tips to avoid bumping into hunters in Zona Zero.
I never raced a lot on my mountain bike. I am not sure if it is because I am not competitive or because I am too competitive and I cannot stand loosing. But in 2018 the Enduro World Series came to town and I didn’t want to miss out on that opportunity. So I signed up for the EWS Challenger.
Since a couple of months the bikers in town were whispering about which trails would be used during the EWS. There were signs of mid summer trail cleaning so the guesses were pretty accurate when they released the EWS stages on the Monday before the race weekend.
Unbeaten Adventures is not a travel agency and therefore by Spanish law we are not allowed to offer full holiday packages. However we can recommend you beautiful places to stay and we can help you with your booking. Check out our 3 selected places for a good nights rest after a full day of mountain biking. Depending on your budget & needs you can choose a hotel, an apartment or a casa rural.
Recently I came across three powerful stories where the bike and its biker played a central role. I came across one on Instagram, one story slept at our home for 2 days and the last one is the love story of a couple in Boltaña, that also happens to tell the story of the last wild river in the Spanish Pyrenees.
How green is your bike?
For me mountain biking is one of the most fun things to do. It is a way I can enjoy nature, do sports and meet new people along the way. Everything can occur at the same time. With my interest in sustainability I find it hard get my head around doing this sport in a more sustainable way. I am not a fanatic or short sided when it comes to sustainability and I truly believe that more people should bike instead of drive a car. After all we all want to promote biking. Surprisingly I don’t see much brands in the industry taking real action, for example circular business models or doing active recycling programs of taking in old products to up-cycle. Perhaps, I haven't done enough research yet.
We recently moved to Spain and people ask us a lot why we moved and why we like mountain biking so much. So we taught it would be nice to share the answer to the question: "Why we ride?". Mountain biking gives us freedom & confidence. For us it is a learning experience while being outside in nature, in the mountains. Why do you ride?
